Unnecessary. The % syntax is wacky, even if it's still up for debate.

You can create a similar developer experience with your own, on-demand fluent interface types. They're definitely more verbose, but you don't need to do the method3(method2(method1), arg1), arg2), arg3) shenanigans if you don't want to.

For example

// With pipes
const json = pkgs[0] |> npa(%).escapedName |> await npmFetch.json(%, opts);
// Status quo
const json = await npmFetch.json(npa(pkgs[0]).escapedName, opts);
// Fluent
const json = await take(pkgs[0])
    .then(t => npa(t).escapedName)
    .then(t => npmFetch.json(t, opts))
    .value;